Manufacture of articles of or containing rubber or similar material



Patented Apr. 2 1935 Y MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES OF OR CON- TAINING RUBBER R SIMILAR'MATERIAL: Edward Arthur Murphy; Erdington, Birmingham,

England, assignor to American Anode Incor- I porated, 'Akron,-( )hio, a corporation of flDGIZt-i v ware No Drawing. Application July 1 ,-1931,'Slerial No.

10 Claims.

This invention concernsimprovements in the manufacture of articles of orcontaining rubber or" similar ,material by forming deposits of aqueous dispersions thereof on supports or backing "strata.

The object of the invention 'i s to employ coagu lating mediain a substantially'non-fluid or solid condition and preferably in thin-uniform layers,

thereby permitting the production of even coagu-"f as,for instance, a glove or bathing cap, the pres- "ence of an intermediate fluid layer facilitates lated deposits and particularlyv the sharp registration of designs or markings, should such be provided, on the aforesaid supports or backing I V i fshrinkageand gravitational effects. According to theinventionthe process for the strata.

production of articles of or containing rubber or similar materials from aqueous dispersions thereof of the kinds hereinafter specified comprises coating supports or backing strata which maybe shaped such asformers or moulds,swith a coagulating'medium comprising a coagulant for the aqueous dispersions aforesaid in admixture with a water-insoluble materialjdissolvedlin volatile solvent and thereafter coating the thus treated supports or backing strata with-the aqueous dispersions'aforesaid.@ .1: v

The coagulant is preferably. of a non-volatile nature and is used in the form'of a dilute solution'in' a' volatile solvent in admixture with a water insoluble material in solution inthe' volatile solvent. On evaporation ofthe solvent the coagulant is left in concentrated form and is distributed evenly over the surface of the sup ports or'backing strata. The coagulant is preferably of a hygroscopicnature. j r Suitable coagulants for the purpose of this invention are, for example, sulphuric acid, lactic acid or zin'cichloride .ormixturessuch as zinc chloride and a non-volatile viscousliquid'such as glycerine or .glycol which does'not solidifyj V The presence of the aforesaid water-insoluble material is for the purpose of producing a layer] of coagulating medium having a matt varnish like surface capable of resisting spontaneous dis rosin, tristearin, shellac,stearic acid, metallic soapsinsoluble in water. J

Examples'of suitable volatile solv" nts are ace tone, alcohol or ether. 1 1

When a coagulated layerisproduced on a sup- Renewed June. 13, 1934. Britain October 20, 19301 especially-on a' glazed or greasy surface.

stance, resinous1 or waxy substances. such as In Great (oi-isms) V v I pQrL-orbacking stratum such asa forrnenhaw in'g'an uneven surface, for instance, a former provided :with a moulded or engraved design, a fluid layer betweenthesformer and the coaguxlated layer would tend to, prevent the registration of the design or marking on'the coagulated a er-a v. L Furthermore, whena thin layer of latex is coagulated on a former of appreciable size such distortion of the coagulated 'layer' c'a used by a It has been found according tethe present invention that the aforesaid difficulties. can be avoided by. coating supports or' backing strata preferably with extremelythin uniform layers of coagulant of a nonfluid'orsolidnature in order that'the indentation-forming part of the pattern on. the supports or backing-strata do not' The small quantity of water-insoluble}resin ous, fatty or waxy substanceiadmixed in the vola V tile solvent according: to. the present invention tends to make .the' coagulant film adhere to the,

lant film which would tend to break into drops,

aforesaid resinous, fatty orwaxy substance dise solved in a volatile solvent; is subsequently pre. cipitated on evaporation'of the volatile solvent, leaving a thin film thereof insoluble in water.' Such a matt varnish-like film maintains the continuity of the non-'volatilecoagulant film indefia .nitely.. .Moreover, the adhesive nature of the resinous or waxy its matt surface and-the fact that it is not influenced by the water ofthe aqueous dispersion of rubber all help to reduce any tendency to slipping ofthe coagulated layer due e. g. to shrinltagei the dispersions aforesaid may be aided bythe application of further'coagulating means The invention also includes the manufactureof articles of appreciable thicknessbyrepeated'coat ings with "coagulating media and the. aqueous dispersions aforesaid. v

The coagulating medium as-well as the aqueous dispersions aforesaid can be appliedby any one The Formers, for instance, treated with coagulating media as described may, if required, be stored some days before contacting with the aqueous dispersions .ofrubberwithout.

allowing the volatile solvent to evaporate and soft rubber, clay or fabric or-more of the known operations of dipping, pour-.

ing, spreading or spraying. Supports or back The emulsions or dispersions comprisenatural or artificial aqueous dispersions of rubber ,or'

' similar vegetable resins such as gutta-percha,

" balata with or without the addition 'of aqueous dispersions or emulsions ofrubberlikesubstances 1' 1 v such as the so-called synthetic'rubbers, mineral.

rubbersor rubber substitutes such iasfacticeorj rubber reclaim, or rubber .waste-or,oils,.,for' ex- [and/or compounded or compounded and subse' I "fwith a "thin 'filmjof a co'mposition' comprising a coagulaiitanda water insoluble amorphous mac'ample, rape oil or vulcanized oils 'or cellulose esa ters or proteins, for example, casein. 1

. The main dispersions may bejconcentratedquently concentrated. ,1

h The compounding ingredients- 7 may be jfch'osenz from vulcanizing agents such as sulphur,and organicaccelerator's, fillers and reinforcing agents such as whiting, clay, barium sulphate, litho- Y pone, lamp black; gas black; zinc oxide 'or pow I used.

7 are as follows:-

in U.S specificationNo. 232,705 are particularly suitable for use. 7

A coag'ulating mediumsuitable for the producfollowing compositiong-e dered' 'ebonite or vulcanite', f colouring matters} preservatives orsoftehers. v compounded concentrates such as are described Aqueous dispersions of synthetic rubbers; with or without" any one or, more of theihereinbeforei mentioned compounding ingredients may alsol he The formers 1 porous. If desired the formers may be internally.

' passing a fluid heating medium, the nioulds'or by electrical heating; {If desired, the reagents employed asicoagulants may be such as only become effective on heating."

heated inrany suitable mannerfor -example, byl

' Examples'of. carrying the invention intoefiect;

ramble;

tion of thin rubber dipped'goods'from rubber la: tex, such as surgeonsgloves, can be made'iot the former, for instance, er is thendipped into this solution, withdrawn and allowed'to'stand for about one minute until the alcoholhas evaporated It can then be dipped intofa latex bath immediately or storedfor, (lip! ping as required.

Eramplezi I ,Thin rubber sheets may be made from rubber latex by treating the surface ofan endlessflex-r ible band such as fabric, witha-solution-of coagulating medium of the following composition:

I then passing the thus treated fabric into a latex phous send,

a glazed porcelain the surface of thebacking strata and thecoag' ulum is of particular'value inthis operation in preventing slipping of the coagulum on remov- 7 lining, rubber sheeting; fabric reinforced rubber article's, rubberized fabric and-"rubberv footwear.

,WhatIclaimiSL,

. 1. Atprocess whichcomprisesin lmersing inan,

aqueous,rubberadispersion a form coated with a layer of a solid composition comprising a watersoluble coagulant and a water-insoluble amor- 2; Apro'icess which comprises coating a forms 3 terial, andassociatingthe coated aqueousdispersion of rubber l 1 3. A process which"comprises coating a form forlnwith1 an A processwhich comprises "coating-fa arm,

: wi'thl a'film of a solution offa wat'eps iuble coagu'-; rant and awater-insoluble rnateri'alin an organic solvent, evaporating th e major part of the solvent,

v and associating the coated formwith'an aqueous ."d Spersionof rubberfl 3W or mould s may be'porous'or non A proces? 'whmh'acgmprises. waxing im" i withaiilmfofasolution' oflawater-so1uble'coagw lam; g-andfia water insoluble amorphous material,

evaporating the major part of v the solvent,- and 1 immersing the coated form man-aqueousdisper-i agulant and a water-insoluble amo'i phousiha v terial in an orga'nic solvent, evaporating thegrriajoi part ofthe solvent, and immersingthe coated- 'form in anaqueous dispersionofrubber. 1

I 7. A process which comprises coating a'-forrn and a water-insoluble amorphous mamamm organic solvent, evaporating the major7part.; of

8. Arproces's which. comprises coating a form with a solution of a water-soluble coagulant and 45:5 with a, solution of ,arhygroscopic coagulant salt a substanceselected fromthe c'lass consisting-of water-insoluble resins; ra sf'waxes, and soaps;

and immersing the coatedforrn in an, aqueous dispersion of rubber:

. 91 Apr'ocess,which comprises' coa'ting afform f with a solution ofia water-soluble coagulant and' a substance selectedfromgthe'class consisting'of;

desired thickness, is 'co'agulate'd with "a solution .of a hygroscopic, coagulant salt and a substance-selected from the classconsistihg of water-insoluble; resins, fats,'lwaxes' and soalps in an organic solvent, evaporating theimajor partof the organicv solvent, and, immersing-the i coated form in an aqueous'dispersion of rubber until a layer of rubber ofp the-desired thickness 'iscoagulated thereon. 1 I, .7 NEDWARDARTHURJMURPEYI 

